


Comfort

by akanyanen



Category: Kanjani8 (Band)
Genre: Awkward Feelings, Happy Ending, Light Angst, M/M, Porn with Feelings, Yasu is adorable
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-07
Updated: 2012-10-07
Packaged: 2019-01-10 03:16:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12290061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/akanyanen/pseuds/akanyanen
Summary: Written for jain for the K8_exchange. Reposting.Yasu helps Ryo work through things. Not-so-prickly!Ryo.





	Comfort

"You both are debuting with NEWS."

Managers pulled them away to the side to "talk" and the next week they’re off to Tokyo for "work".

It stays lodged in Ryo's gut, twisting uncomfortably tight, leaving him feeling sick while he rides the shinkansen home. Back to face the band that might not be his anymore.

Uchi is uncharacteristically quiet next to him.

The magazine shoot that turned into this; Ryo felt odd, confused, about the cameras there. Now it all makes sense.

Ryo knows he’s supposed to feel grateful. He and Uchi have just achieved something every junior wants desperately when they join the company.

It’s never on their terms, though, and they were naïve to think it would be.

“Hey.” Hina sounds subdued.

Uchi answers and Ryo tunes them out and glares at the ground.

They must know. They probably found out from newspapers or the television, how two of their band mates, ex-band mates most likely, are leaving them for Tokyo. 

Ryo feels angry and frustrated all over again. He doesn’t want this; he doesn’t want to leave Osaka for a room full of strangers. There is Yamapi, but they rarely talk. Yamapi doesn’t want this either. Nobody who matters to Ryo wants this.

What’ll happen to Kanjani8?

“Ryo-chan.” Yasu puts a hand on his shoulder and Ryo tenses.

“This is bullshit,” he says, quiet, but the frustration is clear in his voice.

“It’s done,” Subaru says, not looking at them. “We can’t do anything about it.”

Ryo can’t say anything to that. 

“They haven’t disbanded us,” Yasu says, grasping for something positive in this mess.

‘Yet’ hangs heavily in the air, though no one wants to say it.

“We’ll all be fine. Besides, it’s about time they debuted Kansai boys,” Hina says, his arm around Uchi’s shoulders.

“Yeah, but you brats couldn’t even tell us the good news,” Yoko complains.

“NEWS’s news.” Maru grins. Hina smacks him upside the head.

The dressing room descends into mayhem and Ryo forgets to be angry for a while.

~*~*~

 

“It’s over.”

“You don’t know that. We--”

“They’ve never debuted anyone twice. They won’t bother to pay attention to Kansai anymore. It’s over.”

“Shibuyan!”

Ryo jumps back from the doorway as Subaru leaves with headphones covering his ears, sunglasses on and his hat pulled down.

Yasu comes out a second later, staring after Subaru’s back before he realizes Ryo is standing there.

“Ryo-chan?”

“I just forgot something,” Ryo mumbles and gestures into the room.

“Hey, he’s just worried.” Yasu frowns at the look on his face.

“Sorry,” Ryo mumbles. He didn’t want it to happen like this.

“No one is angry at you,” Yasu insists, one hand on Ryo’s arm. “We’re happy at least two of us made it.”

“Kanjani8 still has group activities,” Yasu continues.

“I don't understand it! Yamapi hates it; I have no clue who anyone else is. This is so messed up. We’re not even important. Why bother naming it ‘NEWS’ when it’s just ‘Yamapi and others’,” Ryo complains, voice getting angrier as he rushes to unload all of this. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this band.”

“Give them a chance. You’ll have Uchi, at least. The others will grow on you,” Yasu says, smiling at him.

“Maybe…” Ryo doesn’t sound convinced.

“You will. These things take time,” Yasu insists.

“Thanks, I’ll try.” Ryo manages a small smile, not wanting to complain more when Yasu’s fixing him with such a determined, kind look.

“Good. Do you have time for ramen?” Yasu brightens and Ryo’s struck by the full force of Yasu’s smile. Ryo thinks, maybe, it would be nice to talk to Yasu after today. Yasu’s easy to talk to and probably what he needs right now. 

“I know a good place,” Ryo agrees.

~*~*~

 

“Your shoulder is boney,” Ryo complains, exhausted and trying to get a little bit more sleep before a full day of recording for their PV.  
“Your head is heavy,” Uchi counters.  
“You smell like a girl.”  
“You’re scared of them. How would you know?”  
“I am not,” Ryo grumbles. It’s a testament to how tired he is that he doesn’t hurt Uchi for that.  
Ryo shifts his head, unable to find a comfortable spot. “I’m so tired.”  
“Just sleep.” Uchi sighs, then whispers under his breath, “Then I’ll have peace.”  
“But your shoulder is boney."  
Uchi sighs again, loudly. Then he unceremoniously shoves Ryo down so his head is resting on his thighs.  
“If you tell me my legs are boney I’ll shove you on the floor,” Uchi warns and props his magazine up on Ryo.  
Ryo’s too exhausted to bother arguing. Uchi’s legs are boney, but they’ll do.  
A few hours later, when they’re on location, Ryo throws on their second costume and grimaces as he comes out of the dressing room.

Uchi gets one look at the flowered suit on Ryo and bursts out laughing, even though he’s in the same boat.

He takes pictures on his phone and sends them off to a few people before Ryo can stop him.

Ryo wants to kill Uchi some days. That Tegoshi kid is awkward, but at least he has a healthy respect for Ryo. He feels like, maybe, for the sake of his own sanity, getting to know the other members of NEWS might be a good idea.

~*~*~

 

“Enka?” Yoko sounds dubious, but not displeased.

Maru has a wriggling Subaru cuddled to his chest while he jumps around the room. Subaru says something but it’s muffled by Maru’s jacket.

“Yasu!” Hina admonishes, starting to laugh when Yasu just cries harder.

“We’re debuting,” Ryo says in disbelief while grinning so hard it hurts.

“It’s a Kansai debut.”

“We’re Johnny’s first enka group?”

“Does enka even sell to teenagers?” Ohkura asks, curious.

“Well, I'm good with the old ladies,” Maru jokes, wiggling his eyebrows.

“Recording tomorrow, then the PV shoot next week, right?”

“I’ve never sung enka before.” Subaru’s thinking out loud as he reads over the lyrics. He looks excited and happier than he’s been in months.

“Yasu, stop crying or you’ll make me cry!” Uchi complains, but he sounds a bit choked up. Yasu laughs, but can’t seem to stop the tears.

Ryo’s pulled into a hug; maybe it’s because he’s the one closest to Yasu. He turns a bit red, hesitating to wrap an arm around his shoulder while not sure how to get Yasu to stop. He lets Yasu cry on his shirt, patting him on the back awkwardly. He never was good at dealing with crying people.

Uchi shoots him a knowing, smug look that Ryo catches over Yasu’s shoulder. Ryo wonders why, since that look is usually reserved for when Uchi knows something he doesn’t and is going to enjoy rubbing it in Ryo’s face later.

~*~*~

 

“But the drumstick is so heavy,” Ohkura mumbles at the floor, the huge Taiko drum looming formidably behind him. 

Uchi makes sure Ohkura can see him silently laughing (at his pain) as the director goes over their placements again.

Ohkura glares at him and Uchi smiles winningly.

Ryo subtly kicks Uchi when he misses the director’s cue to move.

“Ow,” Uchi complains, cuddling up to Yasu, who laughs and pats his head before he shoves him in the direction he’s supposed to be.

Ryo catches Yasu’s eye and his heart thumps faster in his chest, even though he hasn’t been dancing for more than a few minutes. Work allows him to push it to the back of his mind.

~*~*~

 

He thought he was tired before from bouncing between his debut group and his junior unit. Now that both of his groups are debuted, it’s even worse.

At least Uchi is in the same boat, so he’s not alone.

Although, that means Uchi is just as cranky and sleep deprived.

“So, Yasu, huh?” Uchi says casually.

“What about Yasu?” Ryo flips open his phone.

“You’re rather obvious.”

“I still don’t know what you’re talking about,” Ryo insists, his fingers pushing down a bit harder on the buttons of his phone.

“Your crush on Yasu is adorable, Ryo-chan,” Uchi coos. 

Well, now Ryo is sufficiently distracted from his email.

“There is no crush, freak.” Ryo hopes his tone conveys how much he wants Uchi to shut up right now.

Uchi doesn’t plan on it.

“You get that goofy look on your face and your cool image goes out the window,” Uchi elaborates.

“I do not,” Ryo snaps. He’s annoyed and not in the mood for this.

Uchi gives him his incredibly annoying ‘you’re such a liar and we both know it’ look.

“Why I put up with your shit, I don’t know,” Ryo complains. He knows why this bugs him so much, normally he’d be able to laugh Uchi’s prying off, but he’s not sure he’s ready to face it.

“Because without me you would be the most awkward person in NEWS. And you love me.”

Ryo scoffs and does his best to ignore Uchi’s insistent prodding. He’s been brushing off whatever thing he’s had for Yasu for a while now, but it is getting harder to ignore. Especially when his band mates are busybodies.

~*~*~

 

Ryo half stumbles off the train, shocked and not believing this is real. It can’t be. Uchi was with him yesterday. They’d messed around backstage and filmed for the drama.

Uchi won’t be in it anymore. Uchi isn’t with him anymore.

It feels unreal. He still can’t believe it when he’s surrounded by his Kansai bandmates and they’re pulling him into a hug.

“I’m sorry,” Ryo mumbles into Yasu’s neck.

“It isn’t your fault.”

“It’ll be okay.”

Ryo trusts them, but he wonders if they’re right.

~*~*~

 

He leans back further in the seat, closing his eyes and hoping the Red Hot Chili Peppers will put him to sleep.

He wakes with a start when he suddenly leans over too far and almost falls into the empty seat next to him.

Ryo gives up on sleep. It isn’t going to work.

His phone buzzes and lights up a few minutes later.

A fifteen second clip of Maru being, well, Maru has Ryo smiling. Yasu’s laughter in the background is warm.

He messages back. The trip passes quickly as his phone lights up with incoming messages from Yasu, the cheerful amounts of emoji are amusing and cute. Before Ryo really realizes it, the train is pulling in at his station and he can tone down his smile but not the warm, comfortable feeling he has.

~*~*~

 

Ryo feels sick. It wasn’t supposed to happen like this. Uchi was supposed to be back soon. It was supposed to go back to normal. Uchi on the train with him, joking around backstage, interviews together and talking about stupid ridiculous things. 

Ryo would even welcome Uchi’s teasing right now.

He rides the train back to Osaka and thinks absently that he won’t have to frequent it this often anymore.

Who knows if, or when, NEWS will be back from this ‘hiatus’.

As much as he complained about it, and as much as it was awkward at the beginning, something like regret and loss settles in his stomach.

Ryo feels lost; he grits his teeth and tries to convince himself things aren’t unraveling before his eyes.

~*~*~

 

“This chord?” Yasu shifts the guitar, grabbing his pick and playing the revised section.

Ryo doesn’t say anything for a bit as he lets the sounds from Yasu’s guitar fade out and wash over him.

“Hmm, it’s better than the last one,” Ryo says quietly, stretched out on the couch.

“It’s still missing something.” Yasu frowns, playing through it again.

The song is soft and slow, the sounds building upon each other but there is still a note, something, eluding his searching fingers. Yasu stops, palm abruptly halting the sounds as the last few notes rapidly wane.

“Keep playing?” Ryo doesn’t look at Yasu when he asks, opting to close his eyes even though he can feel Yasu’s gaze. It’s probably questioning, but Ryo doesn’t feel like facing any of those, not today.

“Sure,” Yasu says softly and starts from the top.

Ryo shifts a bit to get comfortable as he listens as Yasu starts improvising, not playing anything specific.

He must’ve gotten too comfortable, or maybe Yasu’s presence is that soothing. Either way Yasu’s shaking him awake and the hand on his shoulder feels hot through the fabric of his shirt. He’s glad his face doesn’t turn red but he’s wondering how just a hand on his shoulder could cause his heart to beat that fast. 

~*~*~

 

Ryo collapses, exhausted, on the couch backstage and stretches out. He hasn’t summoned the energy to shrug off the pants from the last frantic Countdown costume change.

“Ahhh, that was awesome,” Yasu says, flopping down next to Ryo.

He’s joined a few minutes later by Maru, then Subaru who make themselves comfortable on various parts of Ryo’s body.

It doesn’t take long for the rest of them to file into the room.

“You probably could win some sort of world record for getting undressed.” Ohkura sounds amused and a bit amazed.

Ryo says something unintelligible, muffled further by Subaru and Maru sprawled on top of him. 

He’s too lazy to try and fight Subaru and Maru off him. 

Subaru pokes him in the side. Ryo grunts.

“Do you have recording for the new single tomorrow?” Yasu asks.

Ryo’s answer sounds like a negative.

“Guys, all right, get off of Ryo-chan,” Hina orders.

“Aaww, but mommy-” Subaru protests and clings tighter.

Hina’s hand meets the back of Subaru’s head.

“Abusing children again. Someone should report it,” Yoko sighs.

It takes a while for everyone to disperse. Ryo’s tired, but he’s still one of the last to leave.

“Ryo, you want to go to Osaka tomorrow?” Yasu pops into the dressing room just as Ryo’s grabbing the last of his things.

~*~*~

 

He’s seen Uchi cry before, many times, but somehow this resigned, disappointed look is worse. Like he’s given up.

Ryo stands off to the side, letting Yasu pitch their plans for the day. Nabe and something, Ryo picked the restaurant. Yasu is in charge of the other things.

“You shouldn’t stay inside today. It’s too nice outside.” Yasu grins, grabbing Uchi’s winter jacket off the rack for him while Ryo leans in the doorway.

“It’s cold outside, Yassan,” Uchi whines, peering outside warily.

“Grab your wallet, Uchi,” Ryo drawls, his own nose a little red from the chill. “It’s your turn to treat.”

Uchi sticks his tongue out at Ryo and he rolls his eyes.

“I’ll be back, mom,” Uchi yells as he grabs his keys and wallet off of the table.

“Hiroki, take your scarf or you’ll get sick.”

“Yes, mom,” Uchi calls and grabs a long, fluffy scarf off the rack.

“Nice,” Ryo comments.

“Shut up, fucker. My mom made it,” Uchi says. The fondness in his voice isn’t directed at Ryo.

“It looks good on you, Uchi.” Yasu smiles and Uchi mirrors it.

“Thank you, Mr. Not-a-jerk-face,” Uchi says loudly.

Ryo rolls his eyes.

“The restaurant isn’t too far.”

“Let’s go.” Yasu tugs on Uchi's arm and grabs Ryo’s with his other hand.

“I’ll be right back guys,” Yasu says, pulling off his bright jacket and throwing it on the bench. He disappears towards the back of the restaurant.

“Uchi, are you-“

“You should really just tell him,” Uchi interrupts, chewing on the straw of his drink.

Ryo splutters, “You-I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He glances over his shoulder to make sure Yasu isn’t there, even though he knows Yasu just left for the bathroom.

Uchi just shrugs.

“Watching you squirm is amusing and all, but it is getting to the point where even I’m starting to feel sorry for you.”

Ryo glares at him. He’s unaffected and Ryo’s not surprised. His glare has never worked on Uchi before.

“It’s not like that,” Ryo hisses.

“Sure it isn’t,” Uchi says, the tone of his voice making it clear he doesn’t believe Ryo for a second.

“I don’t-“ Ryo protests.

“You’re wasting time,” Uchi tells him.

“So, are we getting Chanko or Yosenabe?” Yasu asks cheerfully as he sits back down.

Ryo takes over the cooking, saving himself and Yasu from Uchi’s attempts, when the Yosenabe ingredients are brought out to them.

“Ryo, is it ready yet?” Uchi pouts, fiddling with his chopsticks.

“If you want food poisoning it is,” Ryo says, not looking up from the bubbling pot.

“Ryo-chan is so mean to me, Yassan,” Uchi says dramatically.

“Awww, he does it because he loves you,” Yasu says, sounding mischievous enough that Ryo is wondering if going with the two of them was a good idea.

“But the verbal abuse,” Uchi sighs, a slight whine to his voice, “he never says it, he just says I suck and he doesn’t like me.”

Ryo dutifully ignores them both.

Uchi pouts at him and Yasu’s not smiling, but his eyes are.

“Ryo-chan,” Yasu pokes at his foot under the table with his toe.

Uchi bats his eyelashes, making a kissy face and that does it, Yasu starts laughing and Uchi joins in.

“You’re both hilarious,” Ryo drawls, watching the vegetables finish cooking.

Ryo stirs the contents around one last time before he decides it is ready.

“Shut up and eat,” Ryo grumps, grabbing a big piece of meat for himself. He deserves it for putting up with those two.

“So, good,” Uchi says, mouth still partially full.

“Good job, Ryo-chan,” Yasu praises, reaching in to the pot for more.

Ryo grins, a little surprised that something as small as a compliment from Yasu can make him feel happy like this. Not that he’d ever tell Uchi--that would be a headache he doesn’t need--but he just may be right after all.

~*~*~

 

He’s not sure why he’s even more hyperaware of Yasu’s presence next to him. It could be because of what Uchi said, but this feeling has always been there. So maybe he’s just paying attention to it more. Ryo frowns, unsure and not liking it at all.

Ryo only knows it's really annoying to freeze and feel all weird in his stomach when Yasu finds reasons to touch him: a hand on his shoulder, brushing fingers through his hair while he’s resting on the couch.

“You should play some of your solo,” Yasu suggests, sitting up on the couch and folding his legs underneath him.

It’s not something he normally does, but maybe this is okay to share with Yasu. Ryo isn’t sure he could turn him down anyways, and he’s not sure what he thinks about that.

“I have a little more,” Ryo says with a small smile.

“You’ve been happier lately,” Yasu observes and Ryo’s hands pause on the strings of his guitar.

Ryo hums, not sure how to respond.

“Things are going well,” Ryo says as he starts strumming again.

It’s quiet but Yasu hears over the soft notes from Ryo’s guitar, “You were right; they did grow on me.”

Yasu smiles. Ryo’s is smaller but still there.

~*~*~

 

“You’re going to pull him up, right?” Yasu asks, his arm thrown around Ryo’s waist. It feels warm and comfortable there. After all this time it still makes his heart speed up annoyingly, all too aware of Yasu next to him. Even with Subaru’s voice, the fans' murmurs, and the sea of bobbing penlights surrounding them, Ryo can’t seem to ignore it or brush it off.

Ryo grins, glancing across Tokyo Dome to the section where Uchi is sitting.

“In a little bit,” Ryo answers with a huge smile after he’s finished singing his part.

He's not sure why Yasu does it—maybe it's the atmosphere—Ryo only knows that he freezes and can only focus on the quick press of Yasu’s lips against his cheek.

The evidence that the girls in their section saw snaps him out of it and he is grinning despite himself. Yasu dashes off ahead of him, his arms up and waving to the crowd.

Dome concerts are always an exhilarating experience. All concerts are, really, from the small intimate venues to huge ones like Tokyo Dome, where people surround them and everyone is feeding off the raw energy of the fans' excitement as it fuels and mixes with their own energy onstage. It doesn’t wane for Ryo towards the end; instead it builds upon itself until he feels like he could burst.

The six of them collectively shove Ryo off the stage and he can’t stop grinning as he approaches Uchi with sure strides. 

He can hear the audience’s confusion. They murmur, while the rest of his band stands onstage and watches.

“What are you doing?” Uchi asks, confused.

“Let’s go.” Ryo grabs his hand and starts pulling him out of his seat and to the stage.

“I- wait,“ Uchi sounds unsure, but Ryo ignores him, pulling him along.

“Shut up, Uchi,” Ryo commands. It doesn’t matter in a second because Uchi is up on stage and they’re all smiling at him. Yasu’s grin is so big it looks like it hurts, and once the fans realize who it is on the screen, the dome erupts into noise.

It’s a blur. Ryo’s pulling off his tour shirt and shoving it at Uchi. They make a few rounds in the dome before coming back to the main stage, where Subaru pulls Uchi into a hug.

They’re taking their final bows before Ryo even realizes it.

He’s backstage and even though it's not a good time, staff members are running around and deconstructing the stage, packing away costumes.

Yasu is already in their dressing room. Ryo’s still running on the high from being onstage a few minutes ago; maybe that’s what gives him the courage to do it.

It’s like the kiss Yasu gave him onstage, just a quick, slight press of his lips against Yasu’s.

“I like you, okay,” Ryo says embarrassed and waiting for Yasu to push him away. It’d probably be gentle. Yasu would say something about how he appreciates Ryo’s feelings but he has someone else, or he isn’t interested. He wonders if confessing like that was smart, maybe he could take it back. It was all a joke, Yasu, I’m not gay for you. Ryo waits for the inevitable rejection.

He’s shocked when Yasu responds with an, “I guessed as much,” and leans in to kiss him. It’s soft and slow, nothing like the quick kiss Ryo surprised him with a minute ago.

“It’s about time. God, you’re so slow Ryo-chan,” Uchi teases from the doorway.

Yasu looks a bit surprised but he recovers faster than Ryo.

Ryo is still sort of mortified.

“He’s had a thing for you for years,” Uchi continues, smiling brightly at Yasu as he continues to enjoy embarrassing Ryo.

“Uchi!” Ryo struggles with words and the urge to kill his best friend.

Yasu has the decency not to laugh, but he’s smiling and clearly amused.

“I was wondering when he’d finally suck it up and tell him,” Yoko laughs from over Uchi’s shoulder.

Ryo makes a choked noise. Yasu squeezes his hand comfortingly, even though he’s clearly trying not to laugh himself.

“You all suck; I hate you,” Ryo manages.

~*~*~

 

“That was,” Yasu pauses for a second, “cute.”

Ryo makes a face at the word.

“You told me you liked me, but you’re kissing Subaru onstage,” Yasu teases, his voice light.

“He’s been humping you onstage for years,” Ryo snaps back.

Yasu laughs then shrugs. “I wasn't really giving you a hard time.”

Yasu climbs on the hammock with Ryo. It swings and creaks with his movement.

Ryo mumbles something, still pretending to be annoyed.

Yasu presses a soft kiss to Ryo’s forehead and Ryo runs with it, pulling on Yasu’s shirt until their lips are moving against each other.

Ryo shifts and presses closer to Yasu, sliding warm hands up and under his shirt, his fingers scratching over Yasu’s abs. 

The hammock tilts dangerous to the side and almost upsets itself.

“Ah, maybe we should move.” Yasu laughs, hovering above Ryo as he tries not to move so they don’t get thrown to the ground.

“Yeah,” Ryo agrees, grinning lopsidedly and waiting for Yasu to climb off before he follows.

They stumble into the room, eager but a bit clumsy as they pull of pieces of clothing while trying to keep kissing.

It doesn’t work so well when Ryo gets Yasu’s shirt bunched around his neck. He fumbles with pulling it off. Yasu laughs softly, but the way he rushes to get Ryo’s boxers shoved out of the way is all eagerness. 

Ryo pulls Yasu back towards the bed, sitting on the edge while he helps Yasu pull off the rest of his clothes.

“Wait, wait,” Yasu breathes when Ryo grabs at his shoulders and tries to tug him up onto the bed.

Ryo looks confused, but as he watches it becomes clear where this is going, and even covering his mouth with a shaky palm does little to muffle his moan when Yasu slides between his legs and sucks Ryo’s cock past his lips.

Yasu’s hands slide up the inside of his thighs as he moves his mouth back and forth. Ryo watches and groans when Yasu gets a good pace going.

Ryo’s breath hitches and he slides his fingers through Yasu’s hair, fingers tightening when Yasu pulls back and licks over the head of his cock.

“Yasu.” Ryo urges him up onto the bed, kissing and pulling until they’re pressed together and Ryo bucks his hips up. Yasu’s breath is hot against his neck. Ryo slides a hand down in between their bodies, stroking their cocks together.

As they get closer Ryo can’t stop the noises low in his throat. Yasu is breathing heavily. He reaches down to help, covering Ryo’s hand with his own.

Ryo comes first, groaning low, and thrusting his hips up a few more times. It doesn’t take much longer for Yasu to follow, pressing slopping kisses against Ryo’s neck and coming over their hands.

~*~*~

 

Ryo wakes up to sun in his eyes and the light breeze floating in from outside.

“Let’s go down to the beach,” Yasu says when he comes back into the room, shirtless.

Ryo grumbles and grabs for his pillow.

Yasu’s solution is to drag the comforter off of him.

Ryo’s glare spells murder.

Yasu just laughs.

Ryo wonders why he bothers anymore.

“Fine, I’m up,” he sighs.

~*~*~

 

Ryo watches his footing as they make their way out, further away from the shore. The water on either side of them melodically hits the wood and sloshes back. 

“Yasu, um, last night,” Ryo starts.

“Let’s see where this goes?” Yasu smiles and Ryo feels warm, not just from the sun beating down on them, from the look on Yasu’s face.

“Yeah.” Ryo breathes out, visibly relaxing. Yasu squeezes his hand. He smiles a bit mischievously but Ryo doesn’t have time to feel properly wary, Yasu’s already pushing him off into the water. He grabs for Yasu in a futile effort to stay out of the water, but it fails and he goes in with a loud splash. 

Ryo’s head breaks the surface. Yasu is doubled over laughing. Ryo coughs, trying not to smile as he yells threats at Yasu that they both know won’t come to pass.

Ryo half swims and half lets the waves push him back towards shore. It isn’t that far.

Yasu is there to meet him with a small, sheepish smile on his face.

“You’re evil,” Ryo complains, dripping wet and not looking all that angry or intimidating with his hair plastered to his face.

Yasu smirks, “Let’s go back, the others are waiting.”

Ryo grudgingly trudges up the beach, pulling even with Yasu and bumping him with his shoulder lightly.

“Yasu, I-“ Ryo starts and he all of a sudden sounds shy.

“Yeah?” Yasu’s smiling and something about him makes Ryo relax even when he’s feeling slightly awkward.

“Ah, just, thanks,” Ryo says a bit lamely.

Yasu looks confused.

“For being there, always,” Ryo finishes and gestures vaguely. Ryo cringes, it sounds lame, even if he does mean it.

Yasu smiles and grabs Ryo’s hand in his own. It does funny things to Ryo’s stomach but maybe Ryo’s okay with it.


End file.
